托福阅读练习2

Passage 1Seventeenth-century houses in colonial North America were simple structures that were primarily functional, carrying over traditional designs that went back to theMiddle Ages. During the first half of the eighteenth century, however, houses began toLine show a new elegance. As wealth increased, more and more colonists built fine houses.(5 Since architecture was not yet a specialized profession in the colonies, the design ofbuildings was left either to amateur designers or to carpenters who undertook tointerpret architectural manuals imported from England. Inventories of colonial librariesshow an astonishing number of these handbooks for builders, and the houses erected during the eighteenth century show their influence. Nevertheless, most domestic(10 architecture of the first three-quarters of the eighteenth century displays a widedivergence of taste and freedom of application of the rules laid down in these books.Increasing wealth and growing sophistication throughout the colonies resulted in houses of improved design. whether the material was wood, stone, or brick. NewEngland still favored wood, though brick houses became common in Boston and other(15 towns, where the danger of fire gave an impetus to the use of more durable material. Afew houses in New England were built of stone, but only in Pennsylvania and adjacentareas was stone widely used in dwellings. An increased use of brick in houses andoutbuildings is noticeable in Virginia and Maryland, but wood remained themostpopular material even in houses built by wealthy landowners. In the Carolinas, even in(20 closely packed Charleston. Wooden houses were much more common than brickhouses.Eighteenth-century houses showed great interior improvements over their predecessors. Windows were made larger and shutters removed. Large, clear panesreplaced the small leaded glass of the seventeenth century. Doorways were larger and(25 more decorative. Fireplaces became decorative features of rooms. Walls were made ofplaster or wood, sometimes elaborately paneled. White paint began to take the place ofblues, yellows, greens. and lead colors, which had been popular for walls in the earlieryears. After about 1730, advertisements for wallpaper styles in scenic patterns began toappear in colonial newspapers.32. What does the passage mainly discuss?(A The improved design of eighteenth-century colonial houses(B A comparison of eighteenth-century houses and modern houses(C The decorations used in eighteenth-century houses(D The role of carpenters in building eighteenth-century houses33. What was one of the main reasons for the change in architectural style in eighteenth-century North America?(A More architects arrived in the colonies.(B The colonists developed an interest in classical architecture.(C Bricks were more readily available.(D The colonists had more money to spend on housing.34. According to the passage, who was responsible for designing houses in eighteenth-century North America?(A Professional architects(B Customers(C Interior decorators(D Carpenters35. The passage implies that the rules outlined in architectural manuals were(A generally ignored(B legally binding(C not strictly adhered to(D only followed by older builders36. The word "divergence" in line 11 is closest in meaning to(A description(B development(C difference(D display37. The word "durable" in line 15 is closest in meaning to(A attractive(B expensive(C refined(D long-lasting38. Where was stone commonly used to build houses?(A Virginia(B Pennsylvania(C Boston(D Charleston39. The word "dwelling" in line 17 is closest in meaning to(A houses(B towns(C outbuildings(D rural areas40. The word "predecessors" in line 23 refers to(A colonists who arrived in North America in the seventeenth century(B houses constructed before the eighteenth century(C interior improvements(D wooden houses in Charleston41. The author mentions elaborately paneled walls in line 26 as an example of(A how the interior design of colonial houses was improved(B why walls were made of wood or plaster(C how walls were made stronger in the eighteenth century(D what kind of wood was used for walls after 173042. The word "elaborately" in line 26 is closest in meaning to(A done in great detail(B put together carefully(C using many colors(D reinforced structurally43. What does the author imply about the use of wallpaper before 1730?(A Wallpaper samples appeared in the architectural manuals.(B Wallpaper was the same color as the wall paints used.(C Patterned wallpaper was not widely used.(D Wallpaper was not used in stone houses.44. Where in the passage does the author give a reason why brick was the preferred material for houses in some urban areas?(A Lines 9-11(B Lines 13-15(C Lines 17-19(D Lines 23-24Passage 2Bloodhounds are biologically adapted to trailing their prey. The process by whichthe nose recognizes an odor is not fully understood, but there are apparently specificreceptor sites for specific odors. In one explanation, recognition occurs when a scentmolecule fits into its corresponding receptor site, like a key into a lock, causing a(Line5 mechanical or chemical change in the cell. Bloodhounds apparently have denserconcentrations of receptor sites tuned to human scents.When a bloodhound trails a human being, what does it actually smell? The humanbody, which consists of about 60 trillion living cells, sheds exposed skin at a rate of 50million cells a day. So even a trail that has been dispersed by breezes may still seem(Line10 rich to a bloodhound. The body also produces about 31 to 50 ounces of sweat a day.Neither this fluid nor the shed skin cells have much odor by themselves, but thebacteria working on both substances is another matter. One microbiologist estimatesthe resident bacteria population of a clean square centimeter of skin on the humanshoulder at "multiples of a million." As they go about their daily business breaking(Line15 down lipids, or fatty substances, on the skin, these bacteria release volatilesubstances that usually strike the bloodhound's nose as an entire constellation ofdistinctive scents.45. What does the passage mainly discuss?(A Why people choose bloodhounds forhousehold pets(B How a bloodhound's sense of smell works(C How humans compensate for anunderdeveloped sense of smell(D The way in which bacteria work on skin cellsand body sweat46. The author compares a scent molecule with a(A key(B lock(C cell(D bloodhound47. In line 7, the word "it" refers to(A bloodhound(B human being(C smell(D body48. According to the passage, how many cells of skin does the human body rid itself of every day?(A 60 trillion(B 50 million(C 1 million(D Between 31 and 5049. In line 10, the word "rich" is used to mean that a trail is(A paved with precious materials(B a profitable business to get into(C a very costly undertaking(D filled with an abundance of clues50. Which of the following acts as a stimulus in the production of the human scent?(A Sweat(B Dead skin cells(C Bacteria(D Fatty substancesExample one : 95年8月的最后一篇文章:Staggering tasks confronted the people of the United States, North and South, when the Civil War ended. About a million and a half soldiers from both sides had to be demobilized, readjusted to civilian life, and reabsorbed by the devastated economy. Civil government also had to be put back on a peacetime basis and interference from (5 the military had to be stopped.The desperate plight of the South has eclipsed the fact that reconstruction had to be undertaken also in the North, though less spectacularly. Industries had to adjust topeacetime conditions: factories had to be retooled for civilian needs. Financial problems loomed large in both the North and the South. The national debt(10 had shot up from a modest $565 million in 1861, the year the war started, to nearly $3billion in 1865, the year the war ended. This was a colossal sum for those days but onethat a prudent government could pay. At the same time, war taxes had to be reduced toless burdensome levels.Physical devastation caused by invading armies, chiefly in the South and border(15 states, had to be repaired. This herculean task was ultimately completed, but withdiscouraging slowness.Other important questions needed answering. What would be the future of the fourmillion black people who were freed from slavery? On what basis were the Southernstates to be brought back into the Union?(20 What of the Southern leaders, all of whom were liable to charges of treason? Oneof these leaders. Jefferson Davis, president of the Southern Confederacy,was thesubject of an insulting popular Northern song, "Hang Jeff Davis from a Sour AppleTree." and even children sang it. Davis was temporarily chained in his prison cellduring the early days of his two-year imprisonment. But he and the other Southern(25 leaders were finally released, partly because it was unlikely that a jury from Virginia, aSouthern Confederate state, would convict them. All the leaders were finally pardonedby President Johnson in1868 in an effort to help reconstruction efforts proceed with aslittle bitterness as possible.41. What does the passage mainly discuss?(A Wartime expenditures(B Problems facing the United States after thewar(C Methods of repairing the damage caused bythe war(D The results of government efforts to revivethe economy42. The word "Staggering" in line 1 is closest inmeaning to(A specialized(B confusing(C various(D overwhelming43. The word "devastated" in line 3 is closest inmeaning to(A developing(B ruined(C complicated(D fragile44. According to the passage, which of the following statements about the damage in the Southis correct?(A It was worse than in the North.(B The cost was less than expected.(C It was centered in the border states.(D It was remedied rather quickly.45. The passage refers to all of the following as necessary steps following the Civil War EXCEPT(A helping soldiers readjust(B restructuring industry(C returning government to normal(D increasing taxes46. The word "task" in line 15 refers to(A raising the tax level(B sensible financial choices(C wise decisions about former slaves(D reconstruction of damaged areas47. Why does the author mention a popular songin lines 22-23(A To give an example of a Northern attitude towards the South(B To illustrate the Northern love of music(C To emphasize the cultural differences between the North and the South(D To compare the Northern and Southern presidents48. The word "them" in line 26 refers to(A charges(B leaders(C days(D irons49. Which of the following can be inferred from thephrase "…it w as unlikely that a jury fromVirginia, a Southern Confederate state, wouldconvict them" (lines 25-26?(A Virginians felt betrayed by Jefferson Davis.(B A popular song insulted Virginia.(C Virginians were loyal to their leaders.(D All of the Virginia military leaders had beenput in chains.50. It can be inferred from the passage that PresidentJohnson pardoned the Southern leaders in order to(A raise money for the North(B repair the physical damage in the South(C prevent Northern leaders from punishing moreSoutherners(D help the nation recover from the warExample two:There are many theories about the beginning of drama in ancient Greece. The onemost widely accepted today is based on the assumption that drama evolved from ritual.The argument for this view goes as follows. In the beginning, human beings viewedthe natural forces of the world, even the seasonal changes, as unpredictable, and they(5 sought through various means, to control these unknown and feared powers. Thosemeasures which appeared to bring the desired results were then retained and repeateduntil they hardened into fixed rituals. Eventually stories arose which explained orveiled the mysteries of the rites. As time passed some rituals wereabandoned, butthe stories, later called myths, persisted and provided material for art and drama.(10 Those who believe that drama evolved out of ritual also argue that those ritescontained the seed of theater because music, dance, masks, and costumes were almostalways used. Furthermore, a suitable site had to be provided for performances, andwhen the entire community did not participate, a clear division was usually madebetween the "acting area" and the "auditorium." In addition, there were performers,(15 and since considerable importance was attached to avoiding mistakes in the enactmentof rites, religious leaders usually assumed that task. Wearing masks and costumes, theyoften impersonated other people, animals, or supernatural beings, and mimed the desiredeffect-success in hunt or battle, the coming rain, the revival of the Sun-as an actormight. Eventually such dramatic representations were separated from religious(20activities.Another theory traces the theater's origin from the human interest in storytelling.According to this view, tales (about the hunt, war, or other feats are graduallyelaborated at first through the use of impersonation, action, and dialogue by a narratorand then through the assumption of each of the roles by a different person.A closely(25 related theory traces theater to those dances that are primarily rhythmical andgymnastic or that are imitations of animal movements and sounds.31. What does the passage mainly discuss?(A The origins of theater(B The role of ritual in modern dance(C The importance of storytelling(D The variety of early religious activities32. The word "they" in line 4 refers to(A seasonal changes(B natural forces(C theories(D human beings33. What aspect of drama does the author discuss in the first paragraph?(A The reason drama is often unpredictable(B The seasons in which dramas were performed(C The connection between myths and dramatic plots(D The importance of costumes in early drama34. Which of the following is NOT mentioned asa common element of theater and ritual?(A Dance(B Costumes(C Music(D Magic35. The word "considerable" in line 15 is closest in meaning to(A thoughtful(B substantial(C relational(D ceremonial36. The word "enactment" in line 15 is closest in meaning to(A establishment(B performance(C authorization(D season37. The word "they" in line 16 refers to(A mistakes(B costumes(C animals(D performers38. According to the passage, what is the maindifference between ritual and drama?(A Ritual uses music whereas drama does not.(B Ritual is shorter than drama.(C Ritual requires fewer performers than drama.(D Ritual has a religious purpose and drama doesnot.39. The passage supports which of the followingstatements?(A No one really knows how the theater began.(B Myths are no longer represented dramatically.(C Storytelling is an important part of dance.(D Dramatic activities require the use of costumes.40. Where in the passage does the author discuss theseparation of the stage and the audience?(A Lines 8-9(B Lines 12-14(C Lines 19-20(D Lines 22-24Example three: (95.10Mass transportation revised the social and economic fabric of the American city inthree fundamental ways. It catalyzed physical expansion, it sorted out people and landuses, and it accelerated the inherent instability of urban life. By opening vast areas ofunoccupied land for residential expansion, the omnibuses, horse railways, commuter(5 trains, and electric trolleys pulled settled regions outward two to four times moredistant from city centers than they were in the premodern era. In 1850, for example, theborders of Boston lay scarcely two miles from the old business district; by the turn ofthe century the radius extended ten miles. Now those who would afford it could live farremoved from the old city center and still commute there for work, shopping, and(10 entertainment. The new accessibility of land around the periphery of almost everymajor city sparked an explosion of real estate development and fueled what we nowknow as urban sprawl. Between 1890 and 1920, for example, some 250,000 newresidential lots were recorded within the borders of Chicago, most of them located inoutlying areas. Over the same period, another 550,000 were plotted outside the city(15 limits but within the metropolitan area. Anxious to take advantage of the possibilitiesof commuting, real estate developers added 800,000 potential building sites to theChicago region in just thirty years-lots that could have housed five to six millionpeople.Of course, many were never occupied; there was always a huge surplus of (20 subdivided, but vacant, land around Chicago and other cities. These excessesunderscore a feature of residential expansion related to the growth of mass transportation: urban sprawl was essentially unplanned. It was carried outbythousands of small investors who paid little heed to coordinated land use or to futureland users. Those who purchased and prepared land for residential purposes,(25 particularly land near or outside city borders where transit lines and middle-classinhabitants were anticipated, did so to create demand as much as to respond to it.Chicago is a prime example of this process. Real estate subdivision there proceededmuch faster than population growth.14. With which of the following subjects is thepassage mainly concerned?(A Types of mass transportation(B Instability of urban life(C How supply and demand determine land use(D The effects of mass transportation on urbanexpansion15. The author mentions all of the following as effectsof mass transportation on cities EXCEPT(A growth in city area(B separation of commercial and residentialdistricts(C changes in life in the inner city(D increasing standards of living16. The word "vast" in line 3 is closest in meaning to(A large(B basic(C new(D urban17. The word "sparked" in line 11 is closest inmeaning to(A brought about(B surrounded(C sent out(D followed18. Why does the author mention both Boston and Chicago?(A To demonstrate positive and negative effects of growth(B To show that mass transit changed many cities(C To exemplify cities with and without mass transportation(D To contrast their rates of growth19. The word "potential" in line 16 is closest in meaning to(A certain(B popular(C improved(D possible20. The word "many" in line 19 refers to(A people(B lots(C years(D developers21. According to the passage, what was one disadvantage of residential expansion?(A It was expensive.(B It happened too slowly.(C It was unplanned.(D It created a demand for public transportation.22. The author mentions Chicago in the second paragraph as an example of a city(A that is large(B that is used as a model for land development(C where land development exceeded populationgrowth(D with an excellent mass transportation systemExample four:Another early Native American tribe in what is now the southwestern part of the United States was the Anasazi. By A. D. 800 the Anasazi Indians were constructing multistory pueblos-massive, stone apartment compounds. Each one was virtually astone town, which is why the Spanish would later call them pueblos, the Spanish word(5 for towns. These pueblos represent one of the Anasazis' supreme achievements. Atleast a dozen large stone houses took shape below the bluffs of Chiaco Canyon innorthwest New Mexico. They were built with masonry walls more than a meter thickand adjoining apartments to accommodate dozens, even hundreds, of families. Thelargest, later named Pueblo Bonito (Pretty Town by the Spanish, rose in five terraced(10 stories, contained more than 800 rooms, and could have housed a population of 1,000or more.Besides living quarters, each pueblo included one or more kivas-circular underground chambers faced with stone. They functioned as sanctuaries where theelders met to plan festivals, perform ritual dances, settle pueblo affairs, and impart(15 tribal lore to the younger generation. Some kivas were enormous. Of the 30 or so atPueblo Bonito, two measured 20 meters across. They contained niches forceremonialobjects, a central fire pit, and holes in the floor for communicating with the spirits oftribal ancestors.Each pueblo represented an astonishing amount of well-organized labor. Using only(20stone and wood tools, and without benefit of wheels or draft animals, the buildersquarried ton upon ton of sandstone from the canyon walls, cut it into small blocks,hauled the blocks to the construction site, and fitted them together with mud mortar.Roof beams of pine or fir had to be carried from logging areas in the mountain forestsmany kilometers away. Then, to connect the pueblos and to give access to the(25 surrounding tableland, the architects laid out a system of public roads with stonestaircases for ascending cliff faces. In time, the roads reached out to more than80 satellite villages within a 60-kilometer radius.1. The paragraph preceding the passage mostprobably discussed(A how pueblos were built(B another Native American tribe(C Anasazi crafts and weapons(D pueblo villages in New Mexico2. What is the main topic of the passage?(A The Anasazi pueblos(B Anasazi festivals of New Mexico(C The organization of the Anasazi tribe(D The use of Anasazi sanctuaries3. The word "supreme " in line 5 is closest in meaning to(A most common(B most outstanding(C most expensive(D most convenient4. The word "They" in line 7 refers to(A houses(B bluffs(C walls(D families5. The author mentions that Pueblo bonito hadmore than 800 rooms as an example of whichof the following?(A How overcrowded the pueblos could be(B How many ceremonial areas it contained(C Hoe much sandstone was needed to build it(D How big a pueblo could be6. The word "settle" in line 14 is closest in meaning to(A sink(B decide(C clarify(D locate7. It can be inferred from the passage that building a pueblo probably(A required many workers(B cost a lot of money(C involved the use of farm animals(D relied on sophisticated technology8. The word "ascending" in line 26 is closest in meaning to(A arriving at(B carving(C connecting(D climbing9. It can be inferred from the passage that in additionto pueblos the Anasazis were skilled at buildingwhich of the following?(A Roads(B Barns(C Monuments(D Water systems10. The pueblos are considered one of the Anasazis' supreme achievements for all of the followingreasons EXCEPT that they were(A very large(B located in forests(C built with simple tools(D connected in a systematic wayExample five:The ecosystems of the Earth provide an array of free public services that are essential forthe support of civilizations. They maintain the quality of the atmosphere, provide food fromthe sea, manufacture and replenish soils, recycle wastes and nutrients, control theoverwhelming majority of crop pests and disease vectors, and so on. People have no idea(5 how to take over these activities satisfactorily. They do know, however, that the theory onceadvanced in the nineteenth century-that the productivity of the land can be infinitelyincreased by the application of capital, labor, and science-is wrong. History has shownthat once the natural life-support systems of a civilization have beensufficiently damaged, they cannot usually be repaired. The ancient deforestation and overgrazing of the (10 Mediterranean region is a famous example. And today, a global civilization is ruining the global environment. 43. What is the main topic of this passage?(A Free public services (B Support needed for civilizations (C The value of ecosystems (D The vastness of the Earth 44. The word "array" in line 1 is closest in meaning to (A large number (B excess (C requirement (D model 45. The word "They" in line 2 refers to (A ecosystems (B civilizations (C sea (D people 46. Which of the following could NOT be included under the "free public services" listed in lines 24? (A Preventing overgrazing by domestic animals (B Providing natural enemies for harmful insects (C Creating and enriching material for plant growth (D Supplying air for breathing47. The word "advanced" in line 6 is closest in meaning to (A debated (B ignored (C proved (D proposed 48. The author mentions the Mediterranean region as an example of (A the ability of nature to remedy human destruction (B the ability of people to make use of natural resources (C the manner in which people replenish the environment (D the effects of human abuse of natural resources 49. The author suggests that civilizations can survive only if they (A greatly expand scientific research (B do not destroy the balance of natural processes (C replant the forests in the Mediterranean region (D invent new procedures to replace obsolete ecosystems 50. The author suggests that the difference between the ancient and the modern situation is that today the problem is (A worldwide (B better understood (C more manageable (D economic KEYS:Passage 1: ADDCC DBABA ACB Passage 2: BAABDC Example 1: BDABC ADACB Example 2: ADCDB BDDAB Example 3: DDAAB DBCC Example 4: BABAD BADAB Example 5: CAAAD DBA。